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At the Battle of San
Jacinto the Hills had captured a boy, José Mendes, from Santa Anna's army, and they took the boy to raise and educate. John C.C. Hill had the Mexican boy as a brother and playmate. The taking and raising of captive boys was a custom of wars of the early 1800s, since these boys
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John's 14th birthday occurred on
November 15, 1842. By late December, the group had reached the Mexican border. On December 23, a gun accidentally discharged, killing fourteen-year-old Jessie Yocum, a friend of John. Some speculate it could have been his father, Asa Hill, whose gun had discharged.
135:, Asa Hill and Jeffrey Barksdale Hill, John's brother, decided to go. After much debate, it was decided that John, who wanted desperately to go, would be allowed to go. Before leaving, James Monroe Hill lent John his rifle, saying "John, little brother, I carried this gun at
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This brazen act attracted the attention of the
Mexicans, and Hill was brought to General Ampudia. Ampudia took a liking to the boy, and rather than make him a prisoner like his father and brother, took John temporarily into his own care.
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When the Texan soldiers eventually surrendered, they were told to cast down their weapons into a pile. John, however, heeded his brother's request to never give up the rifle and broke his rifle rather than surrender.
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In 1855, he married the daughter of a
Spanish general and eventually had four children with her. After her death 36 years later, he married the daughter of an English immigrant.
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139:. Since I cannot go, I'll give it to you. Don't you ever surrender it to a Mexican." James was sick, so he could not participate in the expedition.
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ensued. In the Battle of Mier, John and several other boys were given the task of killing members of the
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When news came that volunteers were needed to defend San
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159:(about 300 men) was an offshoot of the Somervell Expedition (about 700 men).
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José Mendes was later educated with the Hill children at the newly founded
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Hill was born to Asa and
Elizabeth Barksdale Hill on November 15, 1828, in
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John
Christopher Columbus Hill entry at The Handbook of Texas Online
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and to negotiate railroad deals in the United States and Mexico.
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where he accepted being adopted by the
President of Mexico,
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in Texas, while John C.C. Hill attended college in Mexico.
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corps, and John shot between 12 and 17 Mexican soldiers.
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In 1897, he was named an honorary life member of the
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276:"The Strangest Adoption in the History of the West"
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166:On December 25, the Texans under Captain
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
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32:This article includes a list of general
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116:could later function as interpreters.
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38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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246:"HILL, JOHN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS"
244:BLANTON, JOSEPH E. (2010-06-15).
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51:introducing
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440:Revolution
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232:References
151:, and the
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509:Galveston
352:By period
180:artillery
59:July 2014
474:Amarillo
435:Oil boom
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514:Houston
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445:Slavery
420:Forests
47:improve
519:Laredo
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155:. The
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